その赤い糸 That Red String
by creampurin
Summary: To think it would turn out like this. That so many people could become entwined and their feelings overflowing into the pool of light below. Their hearts would burst. To be like this forever maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He trembled grazing her little finger with his own. "Do you love me?" (T for violence, language, and sexual themes.)
1. Chapter 1

"The wind's picked up huh?" I found myself muttering as I slid my hand over the snout of my drowsy friend. Serperior raised his head to slip out a forked tongue, tasting, then he nodded slipping around me out of the sleeping bag towards my bag where he let himself back into his pokeball.

I sighed stretching as my stomach growled. I was sure he was probably hungry too, but it would have to wait until we got to our destination. I rolled up my temporary bed and stuffed it into the largest pocket of my bag frowning. Since when did I travel so light? I should really start bringing a candy for them to eat at least.

My fingers skimmed the button of the dusk ball not having to press it for a bolt of light to shoot out and a large creature to emerge. It didn't speak simply stood letting its shadow fall over me as it stretched.

"Sorry about that." I said. Poor thing had to be stuffed in a pokeball most of the time otherwise it would attract too much attention. A jolt of static went up my arm. I flinched. "Okay, okay."

Turning I smiled at the dragon above me. "Let's go then. We don't want to be late right."

And so I clambered up onto Zekrom's back grabbing tightly to his neck as I did so before he blasted off into the sky leaving a sonic boom in our wake.

As we made our way through the sky we stuck to the clouds for cover. It was a gray day with the heavens threatening to spill down onto the ground so Zekrom was quite content in the atmosphere. I however was soaking wet and freezing as we darted through cumulus clouds. A small price to pay if I didn't want to be seen, and being the new champion back home, as well as having Zekrom in the first place, I tended to struggle just to get away from it all.

Luckily, I had been given a wonderful opportunity to do just that. A vacation out in the middle of nowhere, so Professor Oak said anyway. The man was getting old and he offered that I come meet him on his private island he'd bought for retirement, one that was not on any maps, perfectly secluded, no paparazzi. Even if the unwanted attention didn't bother me so badly, I was still having nightmares about a room full of toys with a music box playing that I couldn't seem to find. His room, it was like a window into every tragedy he'd ever suffered. I needed to get somewhere else so I could have a fresh landscape that didn't have N painted on it from my memory.

When I felt my stomach fly into my throat, I knew we must be close as the black dragon sped toward the ground, me clinging to his back tightly. Serperior and Zekrom were the only two I had left. The rest had been adopted out, released, or-in one case because of Ghestis's cruelty and fierce hatred of me-dead. He'd killed Victini who had followed me without being caught after I freed him from Liberty Island.

My heart clenched at the memory of the tiny, exuberant pokemon simply disintegrating in a blast of blue flames. Victini had never been one of my pokemon, I never trained him, but that day for some reason he got in the way.

Zekrom let out an odd sounding roar snapping me from my thoughts. He came to his usual ungraceful slowdown this time over the water. He could smell something was on the island that now became closer and closer. It was something alright, and I felt a wave of confusion as I began to make out the landmass in front of me.

It was huge, an enormous island surrounded on all sides by eight pillars, each identical. In the center of the island a large stone mansion shaped like a squared U. The rest looked to be taken up by a small forest, and a lake.

I frowned. He had probably invited other people too, but it didn't really occur to me that he might before for some reason. And one of those people I knew about in that very moment as I saw a large unmistakable pokemon running down the long dock to meet us.

Touya's Meganium cried excitedly at the sight of me. I smiled despite myself. Touya wasn't so bad, he was my twin after all. Though I was confused as to why he hadn't told me he was coming here... I guess I hadn't told him either, but I had an excuse! I was wanting to get away in secret. I pouted as I slipped down from Zekrom's back. Meganium almost tackling me as I reached the ground. She stole my bag and made her way back up the dock towards land at a pace that I couldn't have matched had I wanted to. I was too dizzy and shaking with cold from the flight. She only wanted to see Serperior anyway.

It wasn't long before I saw a familiar head of brown hair appear out of the bushes near the end of what looked to be an overgrown path heading up the steep hill toward the gigantic estate. Touya looked as surprised to see me as I was him. "Why are you here!?" he yelled cupping his mouth.

My teeth chattered together as I huffed and looked away indigently. Zekrom sent out a roar for my answer before giving me a snort and stalking off through the water toward the land as I was still at the edge of the dock.

Touya rolled his eyes and jogged towards me. Slowing as he got within five feet. "Touko," he scolded as he watched me shiver. "Come on, we'll get you some tea or something. But I don't understand why you're here too."

"T-t-too?" I managed to ask.

He sighed seeming exasperated. "You'll see, just come on." He grabbed my hand lacing our fingers like he used to do when we were kids. It was the first time since we'd started our journey as trainers three years ago.

When we reached the mansion he opened the large wood door giving it a good push before it gave and swung inward a couple feet creaking loudly as it did so. The entryway was brightly lit in contrast to the dull sky outside, laden with large pokemon statues and artifacts I could only assume that Professor Oak himself had collected over time. My brother pressed the door back closed after pulling me inside and smiled albeit one only to comfort me. "If I can remember how to get to the kitchen, we can ransack the pantry."

I giggled. It had been a long time since I'd been with him like this. I nodded following as he began to lead me into the depths of the house. A little warmer than I had been.

The kitchen, he did find... eventually. I plopped down in an antique chair and slumped. "This house, it's a maze huh?"

My twin shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't know we would get turned around so many times. Here," he handed me a cup of steaming milk tea. "Don't let it go to waste."

"Thanks." I sipped the creamy liquid gratefully feeling the warmth in my throat a great contrast to the rest of me. A smile had crawled onto my face at some point before, though I couldn't remember when. "So, who else did Professor Oak invite?" I finally asked gripping the warm cup thoughtfully.

Touya glanced at me and raised his hand beginning to count people off, "Let's see, well Cheren and Bianca are here..." I nodded taking another sip of my tea. "Kotone, Gold, that weird Silver guy, Blue, Leaf, and Red," I furrowed my brow beginning to notice a pattern, taking yet another sip of my tea. "Then there's that really annoying blonde kid, was his name Pearl? Oh well, and a really young girl named Hikari from Sinnoh region came with him. Diamond too. And two trainers I don't recognize. We haven't been introduced but I'll bet they're from Hoenn." The cup still lingered at my lips as I drank slower than before. "And... N too."

Tea spewed from my mouth and right out onto Touya who had been leaning on the table across from where I sat. He yelped and jumped back wiping his face with his hands. "Really Touko!?"

I set the cup down on the table in silence. My eyes traced the grain of the wood. Why was N here? Why had that senile old geezer gathered all these people together? We were all about the same age I guess, the oldest being Red and Blue. But I didn't understand Oak must have had some sort of intentions—unless he really had gone senile.

"Where's that old man at?" I asked finally looking up at my brother as he dabbed his shirt with a towel.

"Oak?" He frowned. "No one's been able to find him since we got here. I think Blue's pretty pissed. He was cursing the poor guy into oblivion this morning. Saying something along the lines of 'damn Gramps' and stuff like that."

"Then why hasn't he left? He doesn't sound like he wants to be here." I mused thinking of the times I'd seen Blue on television, since I'd never met him in person.

"We can't unless you know a way to swim across the ocean."

I gave my brother a disbelieving stare. "What?"

He shrugged. "My guess is that it has something to do with those pillars, you saw them right? None of the pokemon will leave, they refuse to. So maybe there's some sort of radio frequency those pillars emit. I know Oak really liked radio."

I threw my hands into my hair. "Gyaaa! What the hell?!"

Touya laughed miserably. "Yeah, I know."

"White?"

The hairs on the back of my neck rose and my whole body froze. There was only one person who called me that. I glanced to my brother who looked to the person behind me with a scowl confirming my fears.

A warm hand encircled my shoulder and he leaned into my view, his green hair falling in his eyes. "You're so cold." He was smiling. "I told you we would meet again." His arms wrapped around me gently, though to me he was suffocating, strangling me. I pushed him away brushing off the confused look he gave me.

"You're my friend right, White? Friends hug you know?"

I sighed. God this guy was still a child. Even after all that had happened he didn't seem to know how to handle social interaction, though it was obvious he was trying. The hug thing was definitely new and I wasn't sure I appreciated it. "N, I—"

"Oh!" He grinned taking my hand and pulling me to my feet. "I want you to meet someone! Come with me?" It was a question, but despite that I he pulled me along behind him not really giving me much choice. I glanced over my shoulder to see my brother shaking his head with a "glad-it's-not-me" look. N had some sort of fetish for the two of us, though his attention was now directed mostly at me after I defeated him and Reshiram when Zekrom chose me over my brother.

I was taken from the kitchen still a bit chilled and I stumbled along after the excited man in front of me his hand swallowing my wrist which felt odd and unnatural.

Soon I found myself disoriented and in a large room with a canopy bed in the center a complete mess as well. Of course N wouldn't have the slightest clue how to make a bed. "This is your room N?" I asked already having a guess as to what the answer was. He nodded with a grin pulling me toward the messy bed before releasing my arm to dig through the comforters. "Why did you bring me he..re?" I had trouble making any more remarks after the green haired man uncovered a small ball of black fur curled in the covers.

I felt my stomach flip. I couldn't resist babies, and I knew exactly whose baby this was. "Your Zoroark..." I mumbled leaning closer to get a look at the little fluffy thing. "It had an egg?"

N nodded grinning like a child at Christmas. "I knew you'd like him."

The creature stirred lifting it's tiny head and giving a small cry. It's eyes found me and it stared silently.

"I want you to have him."

I blinked spinning around to stare at N. "Huh? No! N, I can't take him. He needs to be with you and his mother!"

"You can be his mother White. You're beautiful, kind, and warm. You'd be a wonderful mother. At least I know I'd want you as my mother. So, I want you to. Please White. Do me this one favor?" N's eyes sparkled with innocent hope. I knew he couldn't imagine that I would turn him down.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Do you really not see something creepy about me being your mom?"

N shook his head seeming puzzled.

"You're older than me!"

"Ah, yes. But that doesn't mean you can't mother Zorua."

I was stupid enough to glance back at the little pokemon who now was doing its best to bury itself back in the blankets. My heart softened and I reached out tentatively towards it accidently glancing its tail which scared it and made it turn around quickly fluffing up and giving a small cute snarl. I smiled and cursed myself reaching out to take the little fur ball. It gave a little squeak as I picked it up, but soon calmed down as soon as I had it cuddled in my vest. "Fine," I mumbled. "But you have to do something for me in return."

The man gave me his full attention even doing his best to conceal some of his newfound happiness now that I had agreed to being the mother of Zorua.

"Hit your father next time you see him."

What was left of N's smile faded at my request. "Why would I do that?"

I stared at him incredulous. "He's a murderer N. And I never got to hit him myself for what he did."

Of course Alder wouldn't let me go to the place where they were holding Ghestis so I could smash the evil man's face into the ground about a hundred times or so regardless of how violent it was, and despite my knowing that it wouldn't really do much to vent my anger that way except hopefully kill the bastard.

"White, White?" N's hand on my shoulder brought me back to Earth and out of plotting Ghestis's demise... for now. "Your face became really scary for a moment there. Are you alright?"

I cleared my throat shooing N's hand away. "I'm fine." No I wasn't, even Zorua sat shivering in my arms stiff as a rock. I guess I still had some things I needed to work on when it came to forgetting the past and moving on.

"N," I began changing the subject was best for everyone involved. "Have you tried to talk the pokemon out of staying on this island? I know a few of the others want to leave but can't because the pokemon refuse to."

N shrugged. "It's not going to happen. They like it here," he smiled down at me patting my head. "But we're friends and now that you're here I don't mind being on this island as much."

I almost fell over at how easily appeased he was. He didn't seem worried in the least about the situation, let alone seem to notice that it was extremely suspicious. "Why did you come here anyway?"

The green-haired boy blinked up at me as he sat down on the bed. "I was called by Professor Oak, and he said that you would be here so I—"

"I don't understand you at all."

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked looking down and fiddling with his strange rubix cube.

I sat down beside him sighing. "You do strange things, like forcing me to be a legendary hero and saying that we're soul mates and then deserting the continent for several months making me think you died, and now this like you had actually wanted to see me. Some friend you are." It wasn't that I had ever wanted to see N again. In fact him dying would have been a positive thing for my psyche.

I glanced over at the man who was easily three years my senior but now blushing like a twelve year old boy. He bit his lip his eyes darting to me and then away quickly. "I'm sorry Whitelea." That name he'd given me. He told me it was the name he'd imagined for a princess if he ever met one. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I thought that you hated me."

Irritated I stood up still cradling the little Zorua in my vest. "I don't like you N, but I don't hate you either." I couldn't hate him. He'd done nothing wrong. And with that thought tucked away, I left the room and closed the door behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

This place really was enormous. Zorua sat curled around my shoulders whining as I'm sure he recognized when I did that I had been down this hallway before. Something was unsettling about this castle. It wasn't the same as Harmonia castle which had been filled with technology and grunts, brightly lit, and with large rooms and halls that were so wide a legendary wouldn't have too much trouble navigating... no. This place got darker the deeper I went in, and the walls grew more narrow. I had to admit to myself about a hour ago that I was pretty hopelessly lost. It seemed that only a few areas had ever been renovated and modernized. The rest was a medieval nightmare.

It wasn't until Zorua began shivering and snarling that I really felt uncomfortable. Zekrom wasn't here, and I had no idea where my brother's Meganium had taken Serperior. It was me and an infant Zorua who would probably fair worse than I would in a pokemon battle.

I immediately backed against the wall I had been holding onto to keep my balance as the hallway I was in was quite dimly lit and disorienting. I tucked Zorua into my vest again listening for the slightest movement and feeling my heart jump into my throat when a small shuffle went off to my left.

Something was definitely there.

A shuffle again, sounding similar to the noise my sneakers made as I had traversed this labyrinth of a castle. It was a person, not a pokemon. Well, I wasn't sure if it was good to know that being that people murdered other people and images of me being hacked up by some psychotic axe slinging slasher were only intensified when I noticed that I could see faintly a pair of eyes.

Finally the person was close enough that I could make them out, it was man. He looked about the same age as N, sporting very ordinary clothes, red black and white, his hair was jet black and his eyes an unnerving shade of crimson.

Nothing was said, he simply held out his hand to me in silence. I studied it for a moment still shaken and unsure. I didn't know this man, or what he could do. The red-eyed man sighed taking another step forward and grabbing my wrist gently. He tugged me forward pointing in the direction I had been going with his hand and shaking his head. He reached into his pocket and dug around for only a moment before pulling out a pokeball and releasing a Charizard. The pokemon's very presence lit the hall vastly letting me see where I had been headed. A large hole was in the wood planked ahead, rotted and sticking up in jagged splinters. I swallowed.

I looked back to the man who still had a hold of my wrist noticing a small yellow mouse perched on top of his hat. My eyes widened and I took a step back in realization. His hand released me dropping his hold on me easily.

"You're Red."

He only nodded.

That's right, the champion, the legendary one, this was definitely him. Despite the cute looks of that Pikachu, my gut instinct told me it was probably strong enough to take down even Reshiram and Zekrom if they fought it together.

"Pii..." the little mouse muttered watching me.

"Thanks," I decided it would probably be good to be gracious to the guy who just saved my life. The man in question cracked a small smile, though it was gone immediately making me wonder if it had really ever been there at all.

He reached out once more, this time his hand grazing my cheek lightly as he pushed my hair aside. His eyes lingered there his hand holding what little hair I left free from my pony tail away from my face. I realized that he must have seen it, though faint as it was I didn't know how, the scar I had received when attempting to save Victini.

A faint voice could be heard in the distance, it echoed softly in the darkness. "Red!" He dropped his hand giving me one last long look as though he were reading into my memories before he turned and scanned the darkness.

Finally a figure came into view giving us a smile as she did so. He hair was long and a pale shade of brown. "Oh, someone else is down here too. Hi, I Leaf. I don't believe we've met before," she said to me winking. "I just knew I'd find Red down one of these creepy hallways... he tends to be in some really unsettling places most of the time." He smile dimmed a bit but she soon recovered it.

"But why I came to find you!" She turned to Red and put on a serious expression. "Open up your Xtranseiver. You too," she pointed at me.

Red did so pulling out one of the older versions of my own. I simply glanced down at my watch which doubled as pokegear and opened it up myself curious. A small blinking envelope told me I had received mail. I opened it apparently at the same time as Red and the messages played in synch appearing to be the same.

"Welcome to my island," Professor Oak's voice announced in echo due to two identical messages being played at once. "I'm sure that at this point you have discovered that you cannot leave by any measure using your pokemon. This is not permanent; however it will be effective for the next three months. As for the reason I have gathered all of you together is to do a study. The castle itself is full of surveillance devices, but don't worry they are not inappropriate. In private areas, there are limited amounts, heat sensory and motion detectors. However in the other areas, there are video cameras so please refrain from walking around without appropriate attire as I have to review the feedback from these devices myself. I will be sending messages to you periodically as you may have also discovered that your Xtransievers are being blocked, I will be the only outside communication. This is simply a good practice for an experiment of this scale." The Professor on the screen smiled. "Just be yourselves and enjoy this time together with your pokemon and the other trainers who are your equals. I know many of you are very busy as Champions to your respected regions so keep in mind this is a vacation and relax. I'll talk to all of you again soon." With that the message ended closing out the screen.

I looked up at the two trainers before me. Red simply sighed and turned to walk back down the hallway. Leaf lingered giving me a smile. "What's your name?" she asked.

"T-Touko," I managed.

"The Champion of Unova, and defeater of that crazy pokemon liberation organization. Wow, you and Red are similar taking on a whole organization and bringing them to their knees." She giggled letting a pokemon out of one of her pokeballs, an Electabuzz. "Use Flash for me would you dear," she told it. The pokemon happily obliged. "Come on," she said, "I haven't met your brother yet, but I know where his room is since it's next to Blue's. I'll take you."

I nodded following her back the way I came and away from my near death experience.

It wasn't long before we were on the fourth floor not far from the staircase and Leaf pointed to an open door about twenty feet away. "In there," she stated. "If he isn't there I'm sure he'll show up soon. If not Blue and I will be next door."

I nodded making my way into the room to find Serperior looking irritated as my brother's Meganium lay cuddled up against him asleep on the king sized bed. I did my best not to laugh out loud and risk waking her up. "When is the egg due?" I whispered causing Serperior to give me a hard glare in response. He really hated Meganium, though I wasn't sure why.

It was then I noticed that the other side of the room was an exact mirror of the furniture on the left. So maybe Touya and I were supposed to share a room? The bed on the right was made up pristinely and a small note sat on the side table with my full name gleaming in gold letters. I guess it really was for both of us to share.

"Well, in that case—" I mumbled to myself walking over and flopping down on the fluffy down comforter, "I'm going to sleep."

I heard a small hiss and wasn't surprised when my starter pokemon slipped under the covers of my bed. I smiled unlacing and kicking off my boots before getting under the covers myself. The snake pokemon curled his tail around my legs just like he always had since he'd evolved into this form. It was natural, comfortable. We'd been together for a long time, I wasn't even sure I could go to sleep if he wasn't in the bed with me, like a security blanket.

"Good night," I told him stroking his nose. He hissed in response flicking out his tongue. Little Zorua crawled out of my vest and deep down in the the foot of the bed probably still a bit uncomfortable with me. I smiled. This was nice.

xxx

I rolled over my arm falling on what was supposed to be my Serperior as I always tended to be clingy in the mornings, but I found something else beneath my touch. A slick fabric feeling like it was draped over a body. I opened my eyes coming face to face with an unconscious man.

"IYAAAA!" I wailed scrambling to get out of the bed as fast as I could. Across the room I heard my brother shoot up in bed immediately as I had woke him up. The man in my bed blinked slowly awake before staring up at me and giving a yawn.

"Touko?" he mumbled suddenly stopping and looking very confused by the sound of his voice. The man pulled his arms out in front of himself staring at them in a bewildered manner. "Hands?" he questioned suddenly sitting up and studying his body.

"What's going on?" A drowsy female voice yawned from the direction of my brother's bed. I snapped my head over to see a girl sitting up in my brother's bed rubbing her eyes before stopping herself and examining her body as well seeming shocked.

"It... It can't be," Touya muttered. "They're human?"

I stared at the man in my bed again. His hair was a mossy color of green slightly long and falling around his face in glossy curls, his eyes even the same familiar shade of orange. He was wearing a strangely shiny cape with the same yellow designs on it as a Serperior's scales. However, that cape was all he was wearing and I was grateful that the sheets on the bed lay conveniently over his lower half.

"You're Serperior?" I asked the man who was beginning to pull the sheets off of his body causing me to swiftly turn around to face the wall.

I glanced over across the room as I did so getting a good look at the girl in my twin's bed. She was pretty, Her hair falling just short of her jaw, a light shade of green. He eyes gold, and I was grateful to see she seemed to be wearing a pink petal dress that though, short, did cover everything that didn't need to be seen. She did resemble a Meganium with her facial features even though it was obvious she was human. How could this be happening?

She was using those gold eyes to stare at the man I suspected was my Surperior who I didn't dare turn to see at this point. Touya noticed the deep blush forming on her cheeks and quickly covered her eyes grimacing. "You may look like an adult, but as my pokemon, I've never let you see me without clothes don't think I'll be comfortable with you looking at anyone else either," he grumbled.

"Serperior," I stated firmly. "Please cover yourself."

"Touko," the strange soft voice came from behind me. I dared to turn relieved when I saw that he was covered. "Zekrom, what about him?"

I nodded shooting out the door to go search for the dragon. My heart was beating hard in my chest. Something bothered me about this. Why was he so damned attractive as a human? From the battling I assumed was why Serperior was so toned, but that face. Sleek, and just outrageously alluring. Of course he was a snake, so I guess it was to be expected. He was also very slender, and I swallowed at the thought of the recent memory. I shook my head harshly finding my way to the castle's front doors and pushing one open reveling in the crisp air that greeted me.

"Zekrom!" I yelled knowing that calling him had never failed me before and it wasn't long before I heard footsteps and found myself face to face with a man with glowing red eyes and raven hair pulled back in a high ponytail atop his head like some sort of samurai it flowed down seeming to float around him nearly reaching the ground.

"Touko," he answered obediently looking as serious and dark as I had expected. He had a blue glow about him even though I wasn't sure if the pokemon still had their powers as humans, Zekrom as a legendary dragon was obviously different. He just looked ethereal and somewhat androgynous, and dammit he was handsome too!

Silently he studied me for a moment before speaking again. "I was surprised as well," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "Crying won't make it go away."

I didn't realize I had been until then. I sniffed and rubbed my face to try and salvage myself before my emotions took over entirely. I was so confused. Was this Oak's experiment? I didn't like it if it was. Would they ever be able to turn back? Fuck.

"Touko," Zekrom's voice was strange as well, sounding more like a demon than anything else. "That child that N Harmonia gave to you, where is it?"

My eyes widened. That's right, Zorua. I needed to see if he was okay. I had no idea how he would handle the change. He was probably scared to death and I hadn't seen him this morning being distracted by finding Serperior had become human.

As I felt a bolt of static run through me I yelped. Zekrom's arms were under me as he pulled me to his chest. "It will be faster this way," he said and suddenly we were shooting up into the air. So I guess they could all still use their powers... or maybe just the legendaries.

We came through the open window and landed in the bedroom to a scene where Meganium was being pulled off of a very unhappy Serperior by my brother. The group looked over at us everyone taking in Zekrom's new form. His ancient black armor rubbed against my shoulders feeling cold. His stomach was exposed, only to lead to deep black robes and a set of knee high black boots on his lower half.

"Have you seen Zorua," I questioned leaping out of the dragon's arms and running over to the enormous bed to dig through the mounds of comforter. The three eyed me in confusion Serperior shaking his head.

Finally my fingers bumped into something that shifted beneath the fabric. I flung the covers back to reveal an angel. His hair, black at the roots, looked looked like deep flames of red sitting in a short messy nest atop his head. He was certainly a child probably about five or six, and wore no clothes at all. I scrambled to cover him again. The amount of nudity I had to deal with today was starting to make me want to tear my hair out.

The boy blinked revealing beautiful blue eyes. "Mom—ma?" he questioned upon seeing me.

Meganium was the first to speak up, "He makes a very cute human!"

Zorua's eyes darted toward her in surprise. He paled looking nervous and crawled toward me grabbing onto me and burying his face in my vest pulling it around him to hide. "Make them go away Momma," he whispered.

"Uh, Touya," I began. Zorua would have to meet my other pokemon, even if the situation was strange. "Could you and Meganium leave for a moment? Sorry, I just haven't introduced him to the other's yet."

Touya nodded eying me with a look that told me he wanted the whole story about Zorua when we spoke again. The door closed and the little boy still didn't come out of his hiding place. I had to pry him off of me. The child whimpered looking up at me fear in his eyes. I did my best to smile at him to make him more comfortable.

"Okay, so Zorua," the pokemon in question nodded, "these guys here are part of the team. They're my pokemon even though they may not look like it. I want all of you to get along. I have no idea how long you will all be human, but... just make the best of it okay."

The three nodded obediently.

"Momma?" Zorua's little voice got my attention. "Are we going to stay here forever?"

I shook my head. "No, we'll go home to Unova in three months. That's what Professor Oak said."

The little boy began to tear up. "But I want to stay here Momma... in this castle forever. We don't need to leave."

Serperior's cool hand touched my shoulder lightly, timidly even. He seemed hesitant to physical contact at all as it was very new to him in this form. "I also, feel the need to stay here. Something strange, but I feel like I'm happier here." He smiled at me softly. "And for a long time now I have wondered what it would be like to be a human."

I looked to Zekrom, was this feeling unanimous among them? The dragon's eyes burned into my own and he spoke, "No, Touko." He shook his head. "I do not feel that way. Though there is something strange making all of us unable to leave this place. It makes me uncomfortable. Please be on guard."

"Yeah."

I guessed Touya had been standing outside of the door because he walked back in then a teary-eyed Meganium following him. "What's wrong with her?" I asked as the girl threw herself on the bed and began wailing into the pillow.

Touya shrugged. "I never knew she was this emotional. It wasn't apparent when she was a pokemon." He seemed irritated. Serperior too, looked frustrated. Perhaps it was something he had said? I knew that my brother's Meganium was absolutely in love with the snake.

"Now then," Touya firmly took hold of my wrist pulling me up to face him, "since when were you a mother?"

I frowned pushing my brother away. "N gave me a pokemon, Zorua, which had recently hatched from an egg his Zoroark had. He asked me to be his mother in her stead."

"I thought maybe something like that had happened." My twin stared down at the child who did his best to hide in the covers not seeming comfortable under Touya's gaze. "N, has been acting very strange since he's been here. He's constantly asking about you, it's really disturbing."

"He says he is her soul mate," Zekrom stated. "He's believes he is supposed to marry her."

Both my brother and I turned quickly toward the dragon. "What?!" we asked in unison.

"Don't be ridiculous," Serperior smiled finally slipping out of the covers and standing barefoot on the floor, his cape concealing his form. "Harmonia is still a child. He can't possibly understand emotion. He's living in a fairytale where he believes that the prince and princess are supposed to marry and live happily ever after. He doesn't understand what marriage is."

"I agree," Touya added. "That's why his behavior has really creep-ed me out. He's just unnatural."

Zorua latched himself onto me again. "Please don't let them say such things." The seriousness in the boy's voice struck me making me uneasy. My heart hammered against my rib cage.

"Let's talk about something else," I offered.

"How about the sleeping arrangements, I vote that pokemon don't share beds with humans." Sniffling and wiping her still moist eyes Meganium seemed sure of her announcement.

"It's never been a problem before. I've slept in the same bed as Touko since level five. Don't think I'm going to up and change just because you're suddenly uncomfortable with the situation." Serperior snapped. "She is _my_ trainer after all."

The tears began to well up in Meganium's eyes again causing my brother to roll his eyes and reluctantly go over to comfort her. Something was definitely going on between the two starters. A long running argument I guessed. I did agree that it would be awkward at least now to sleep in the same bed, because now suddenly there was the obvious staring me right in the face. Serperior was a man. Not that he I hadn't been aware he was male before, or that he was an exceptionally good looking pokemon for his species partially due to the excellent care I took when grooming him, but that was just it. He was not human before and now, well...

I cleared my throat. "We'll work that out later even though... we should probably at least divide up by gender."

Zorua's grip on me tightened as he shook his head and Zekrom shrugged. "I don't have any interest in sexual relations with a human, so I don't care. Regardless of if I did, it is impossible for me to procreate being a god. Oh, and have you forgotten that even the pokedex cannot seem to acknowledge what gender I am?"

Large blue eyes looked up at me in confusion. I glared at the dragon for saying such things in front of a child, but he did have a point. Despite my always calling Zekrom a male, it was merely an assumption. I had no idea if I was even right. He could be a girl... though it would seem off if he was.

"So then what are you?" Touya asked.

Zekrom raised an eyebrow his glowing eyes shifting to my twin. "I am darkness."

"That doesn't exactly answer the question," my brother grumbled patting Meganium on the head as though she wasn't human at all. If my brother didn't have any problem with his pokemon being human, then I wouldn't either. I glanced at Serperior and my confidence melted. Fucking handsome... This was going to be a pain in the ass.

XXX

So it turned out that we weren't the only ones taking the change of pokemon to human hard. In fact, just about everyone but Red seemed uncomfortable with it. Of course all of his pokemon looked like titans in comparison with the others. Even Pikachu seemed to have a blood lust about him that was unsettling despite still having an adorable exterior and looking much like a young blonde haired girl rather than a boy at all.

At the moment all of us were downstairs in a large dining room with a seemingly infinitely long table with some of the trainers sitting down trying to discuss and figure out exactly what the hell was going on. A few pokemon also joined into the discussion, though I stayed out of it not having any knowledge of much of anything about Professor Oak personally I wouldn't be much help.

For those of us who weren't involved in the heated conversation, there was mingling, breakfast, and a few brawls. I sighed as I watched the way that Serperior kept glaring at Cheren. He never had liked him for some reason.

Reshiram was the only other pokemon N had brought with him and the sight of him was just as amazing as Zekrom. Piercing blue eyes, and an elegant build his snowy hair fell down onto the floor flowing after him as he walked. Just being near him the temperature rose about ten degrees and his skin seemed to have a blazing hue. I watched closely as Zekrom seemed to tense simply at the other's presence as he approached us.

"Touko," Reshiram addressed me with a serene smile. I really did feel like I was in the presence of gods when it came to these two. "It's been a while." He took my hand raising it to his lips and gently brushing them over the surface caused my body to heat to rise immediately. I smiled nervously.

"Reshiram," I nodded at him. He smiled a little wider now moving my hand from his lips down to his chest.

"Beautiful soul as always," he remarked.

Zekrom pulled me away. I could sense the tense atmosphere. "Thankfully," the black dragon growled, "Kyruem is not here, though you seem as hungry."

Reshiram only smiled that calm smile again and after what Zekrom had said it made me a little frightened. It was like I was only seeing the surface of a pond and the pond had rippled but I couldn't see beneath the water. If Zekrom was comparing Reshiram to the legendary dragon that devoured entire towns, I don't know how comfortable I was with that.

"Hey, you! Girl with the ponytail!"

I turned around to look for the source of the yelling only to see a girl with brown pigtails smiling at me. Ah yes, Kotone. We had met before as children not long before she and her mother moved to Johto. If it wasn't for her sense of style being exactly the same as back then, I probably wouldn't have recognized her.

"Let's battle," she said with confidence grabbing a boy by the arm and dragging him forward. It had to be her starter as he reminded me of a Typhlosion though he looked more normal than most with black hair and ruby eyes. A literally flaming scarf was wrapped around his neck which was what had given it away as the flames licked at him but never had an effect.

I stared at her incredulously. No one had really even tried to battle since the change. I wasn't even sure it was possible, however Zekrom released my shoulders and stepped forward indifferent. "Fine," he answered for me. The by standers around us moved a good distance away upon hearing this. A few of them looking irritated that someone would battle in such a crowded place.

Kotone smirked. "Flamethrower."

I was actually surprised when from the opponent's mouth and eyes a bright flame began to well up suddenly shooting forward toward Zekrom who seemed to still be able to move like lightning and lithely avoided the attack. Had I not been so stunned and given a command already Zekrom would have attacked first. I made a note to be serious next time and "Fusion Bolt."

Using his hands Zekrom created a large concentrated ball of blue light was shot at the opponent smacking him in the face and sending him sliding back on his feet a few meters. The poor guy cussed at the pain before coming forward with a quick attack. Somehow with the pokemon being human the battle seemed much more dangerous.

"Use Inferno now that your close!" Kotone yelled.

Zekrom's eyes narrowed and he braced himself without me having to tell him. I was grateful for the few burn heals I had on me as this particular move was not going to be fun to deal with later. "Hyper Voice!" I was hoping this would make the opponent unable to use their move.

I hurriedly covered my ears as the black warrior in front of me opened his mouth causing the most awful noise to come out. Despite my efforts I did catch part of it. Typhlosion gripped the sides of his head and fell to his knees attempting to block out the noise.

It was in this moment that Zekrom made his way toward his challenger on the floor before him. He lightly tapped him with his foot and the boy fell over unconscious. Zekrom looked up at his trainer. "I believe we have won."

The girl came forward quickly digging through her bag for medicine and began to tend to her pokemon.

I blinked confused. That had been much more decisive than I had expected. Wasn't that Typhlosion on level one hundred to know Inferno? Zekrom returned to where I stood looking a little disappointed. "Apparently that Typhlosion has sensitive hearing," he grumbled. So it was just a fluke? The battle might have lasted otherwise.

"Well damn," I muttered having been a little excited to be battling such a strong pokemon for once. It was then that someone's arms went around my waist causing me to jump.

"White, you always battle so gracefully." N complimented his hug childlike. I struggled to get out of his grasp finally breaking free and stumbling forward into Zekrom who righted me seeming un-phased by N unlike Serperior who looked about as angry as when I hung out with Cheren.

"Why don't you go bother someone else Harmonia," the snake stated taking a step forward. He was wearing pants now, courtesy of my brother so it wasn't as awkward as it had been before. Poor little Zorua, I told to stay up in the room and sleep because we couldn't find anything for him to wear. Which reminded me, I was going to take some breakfast up to him.

N smiled at my starter. "You've certainly turned into a strange looking human."

Serperior hissed as I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the man I could tell very well that he wanted to punch in the face. "Calm down," I said dragging him toward the serving table. "Let's go check on Zorua." I filled a plate with berries and basic pokemon food requirements to give him some variety and we exited the dining room into one of the many maze-like hallways this place had leaving Zekrom to fend for himself, which he would have no trouble with.

The journey back to the room was silent. Serperior seemed to be plotting ways to smash N's face into a wall. He had always been a little overprotective. I smacked him on the back of the head as we reached the door. "Cheer up, if you go in with a face like that I'm afraid Zorua might cry."

He frowned rubbing the back of his head with his arm muttering.

The boy was asleep in the center of the giant bed, curled into an innocent ball. I smiled shaking his shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

Eyes fluttered open. "Momma," he muttered his eyes finding the plate I had set down on the bed. He smiled slowly sitting up. As cute as he was, always calling me his mother was really beginning to wear on me. I was not his mom even if I was filling in for her.

I cleared my throat. "You should eat."

He nodded and began picking through the food sniffing it to see if it smelled like something he would like.

"So about the sleeping situation," Serperior spoke quietly causing me to turn toward him in surprise. "Do you really want to divide up by gender?"

Just looking at the man made me positive that it would be a horrible idea to sleep in the same bed. I sighed looking away a bit embarrassed to admit to myself that I was suddenly attracted to my starter pokemon now that he was a human. I wanted to slap myself and scream about how looks weren't everything and technically that was sick and on the verge of bestiality.

"It's just that I don't know if I could sleep if you weren't there." A shuffling of feet and he was right in front of me. "And you've been treating me different now that I'm human. Do you not like me anymore?"

With wide eyes I lifted my head. "No! You were my first pokemon. I can't not like you."

"Then pet me," his expression was pleading, hurt, "like you always do."

Something about the way he had looked at me, it wasn't unfamiliar just more obvious by human features. It made my heart jump and I shakily reached up to the top of his head my fingertips slowly slipping down his forehead and over the tip of his sweeping nose. It felt different, yet the same. The motion was the similar and the shape was reminiscent. If I closed my eyes I could imagine he was still a pokemon.

He sighed happily as I continued. It was only until I heard a soft cough that my eyes shot open and the Serperior before me disappeared leaving a beautiful man causing my heart to jump back against my ribs again simply from hormonal shock.

Touya stood in the doorway a smug look on his face. "It's interesting, I know you've always done that, but it looks like an entirely different thing now that he's human." Meganium stood behind him looking ready to burst into tears yet again.

My cheeks flamed and I turned away swiftly picking up a berry that Zorua was obviously avoiding and shoved it in his mouth forcing him to eat it. The poor kid coughed and gagged quickly shoving the ones he preferred into his mouth to rid him of the taste.

It was then that I got jerked forward by a firm grip and dragged stumbling out of the room. I stared up at Serperior incredulously as he slammed the door behind us once we were in the hall. He was breathing heavily and averted his gaze. "Don't look at me that way Touko," he said using that soft voice again causing my breathing to hitch and making me wonder why it made me feel like I was in a very dangerous situation.

Neither of us spoke for a long moment after that, each of us unable to look at each other. The next thing I knew I looked up to see Red walking toward us, his disturbingly cute, shota-like Pikachu clinging to his arm.

Red nodded.

I nodded in return.

He stopped just before he reached the two of us giving the other man a inquisitive stare. I coughed in attempt to draw his attention. "So," I began, "you don't talk do you?"

A nod.

"However," the Pikachu stepped forward. "I can speak for him now." What looked like an innocent smile appeared, though I knew it couldn't be nearly as innocent as it seemed. "Well, that's interesting," the blonde boy giggled. "You're the first girl I've met that hasn't picked me up and gushed about how cute I was. Perhaps you aren't nearly as air-headed as you look."

Serperior's fist pounding into the stone wall made an audible grumble as some sediment fell from the ceiling. He stepped forward a glare directed at the other pokemon. "Do not, insult _my_ trainer." His voice was deadly low.

"Insult her?" Pikachu giggled again holding his sides. "That was meant to be a compliment."

My face hardened. This would develop into a full blown fight at this rate. It was obvious that my starter's emotions were getting out of control. I put a hand on the green-haired man's shoulder firmly pulling him a step back before addressing the pokemon before me. "Do not underestimate me. I assure you I have not come about the title of Champion of Unova by only luck."

I smiled at Red who stood silently behind his pokemon seeming indifferent to Pikachu's attempts to provoke aggression. He smiled back very lightly. I guessed he didn't mind what his pokemon did it was obvious that they understood their trainer. I was positive there was an almost psychic bond between the Champion of Kanto and his team.

"Is there something you needed Red?" I asked the man. His eyes lit with a strange light for only a moment as he nodded slowly coming forward and slipping a piece of folded up paper into my hand. His fingertips, the only part left exposed by his cut off black gloves, were warm and calloused. A major change I noticed thinking back to when N would grab my hand in his own and it was chilled and soft. Even Touya's hands were softer than this and he didn't take very good care of himself. Red must be a very hard worker, I thought silently.

Said man gave me one last glance, this one as though he was truly trying to communicate something, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. In his eyes the red ran in swirls looking more like a thin layer of viscous blood than an iris. He blinked and turned away disappearing down the hallway.

Serperior released a sort of growl behind me, a new noise for him. "This place is just loaded with degenerates."

"I hope you don't mean Red," I remarked stiffly.

"I don't know about that Red guy except that he creeps me out, but that Pikachu for sure." The man beside me gave a small shiver before relaxing a bit. "What's that?"

I knew he meant the paper which I happened to be curious about myself. So I unfolded it to reveal a neat script of black ink: _Be careful of the others._


End file.
